Kitchen Ideas
Recessed pulls These are wonderfully functional and utilitarian – almost office-y – pulls. They’re a great choice for a high-traffic, high-use kitchen where you don’t want the pulls sticking out and getting in the way. What they do for the kitchen Give it a commercial and utilitarian feel. They work well with Bypass doors, stained wood doors and metal and glass doors.
Tubular stainless steel bar pulls This is one of the most popular kitchen cabinet hardware styles of the past 10 years. You will see these as often on classic Shaker-style cabinets as on modern flat-panel ones. They most often make the biggest statement when they’re run as long as possible on the door or drawer. This style has end caps that are flush, so that you don’t have little bits that stick out and catch the pocket of your pants. Anyone who has ripped a pocket while walking briskly through a kitchen knows what I mean.
Nair says, “As the challenge was to make a small kitchen appear spacious, we made structural and visual changes to stretch the space both horizontally and vertically.” He did this by using white on all the work surfaces, splashbacks and walls, and using a strong pattern on the entire kitchen floor. This brings visual continuity, and carries the eye up and around, making the space appear larger. Sea-foam-green pull-outs paired with wooden cabinets, and monochrome tiles on the floor give the kitchen a colourful yet earthy and elegant look.
Beyond the dining space lies the kitchen. Says Yogesh, “When our client mentioned that she dreamed of having a green kitchen we jumped at the opportunity and went with deep forest green for the cabinets and brass hardware for a bit of bling.” Stone-finish vitrified tiles cover the floor, while the black French door adds contrast to the white walls.
The kitchen is outfitted in white and wood facades that exude an earthy yet opulent appeal. “We played with bold colours and patterns on the backsplash and flooring to counterbalance the muted cocoon. To expand the footprint, we absorbed the external utility area into the kitchen and opted for uniform tiled flooring to make the connection seamless,” says Nair.
The texture, warmth and charm of wood can make any interior look welcoming. The kitchen cabinet doors in timber provide a soothing contrast to the pristine white cabinets below, which almost merge with the white walls around. I like the tiny sliver of open storage here, perfect to keep sauces, spices, salt and pepper
Clean lines, muted tones, seamless surfaces and sleek handleless cabinetry reign over the kitchen aesthetic. “We went for a fully loaded modular kitchen clad completely in acrylic finishes,” says Ajmera. The flooring, continuing from the common areas, conjures a mellow vibe, fittingly mirroring the counters and facades.
A customised sliding door of wood and textured glass separates the kitchen from the entrance passage and lends a touch of privacy. The countertop is finished in black granite with distressed wooden tiles for the backsplash. “For easy maintenance and long-lasting finish, laminates and glass were used in the shutters and drawers,” says Sejal
Durable materials to withstand tough conditions With water, oils, masalas and high heat integral to Indian cooking, it’s important to pay heed to the quality of materials that you use. The good news is that a beautiful finish doesn’t have to be a prophet of doom as far as maintenance goes. Fancy a gleaming metallic kitchen? Go for 303 grade galvanised steel for a look that straddles form and function (it offers a termite-free experience and effectively repels oil and water). Love the warmth and rusticity of wood? Opt for IS 310 grade, boiling waterproof marine ply for a wooden aesthetic with the resilience of steel. Stylist’s tip: If you opt for a stainless-steel-clad kitchen, contemplate opting for stainless-steel decorative features that tie into your decor. Lighting fixtures in stainless steel, for instance, can mirror your cabinetry and give your space a modish appeal. If you’re a DIYer, make a weekend project of turning steel cutlery into eye-catching wall art. Put old ladles, scoops and spatulas in matching frames to create a quirky display. More: Godrej Interio’s innovative modular kitchen range tips its hat to the rigours of traditional Indian cooking, with finishes and ...
Generous prep space maximised by a kitchen island A kitchen island can double-hat as your preparation zone, providing a useful surface for prepping, chopping, marinating and more. As a stand-alone unit with no walls next to it, it promises a reduced risk of peripheral wall stains. An island can also serve as the centrepiece of your kitchen, adding character to its aesthetic and pulling your design scheme into a cohesive whole. If you’ve been longing for a kitchen island but don’t know where to start, take your first step by browsing prospective designs. When you’ve found one that resonates with your style and sensibilities, the term ‘dream island’ will have never rung truer. Stylist’s tip: Topping your kitchen island with a sturdy, long-lasting material can add years to its life and make it resistant to heavy cooking. Some quality materials to consider are granite, marble, quartz and natural stone. Not only are these supremely resilient, they also offer oodles of eye appeal.
Ergonomic layout Wish you could turn your kitchen into a no-spills space? Embrace zoning! Divide your kitchen into five designated zones – a storage zone for dry ingredients, dishes and cutlery; a preparation zone for cutting, peeling, mixing and marinating; a cooking zone to host your hob, microwave and oven; an appliance zone for your mixer-grinder, air fryer and other appliances; and a cleaning zone for your sink, waste disposal and cleaning utilities. By zoning, you can minimise superfluous movement within your kitchen and thereby confine the effects of those mega cook-outs to a limited area. Take the layout of your kitchen into account when planning your zones. If yours is a galley kitchen, for example, you might have to put a fair bit of thought into creating zones along the length of one wall. In a U-shaped kitchen, on the other hand, you might have creative freedom in spreading your zones across the three walls in an ergonomic way. Likewise, take your family structure into account. If yours is a joint family where cooking is a shared effort, it could be a good idea to extend the size of your preparation and cooking zones. Conversely, in a nuclear family setup, you might pr...
Deep cabinets and drawers With colossal pressure cookers, clunky coconut scrapers, tavas and chakla-belans an integral part of traditional cooking, deep storage is of the essence in the Indian kitchen. Optimise your wall space by opting for deep cabinets and drawers. A standard depth of 560mm for lower cabinets and drawer units, and 310mm for upper cabinets, is ideal. By maximising concealed storage in this way, you can protect your kitchen from heavy fumes and odours while still managing to retain a spiffy facade. If planning your cabinetry seems a tricky affair, consider seeking a design blueprint from Godrej Interio to help you get the perfect dimensions for your kitchen. Stylist’s tip: With deep cabinets, reaching items stored far back often proves to be a problem. Tackle this by opting for pull-out stainless-steel wire baskets. For dead corners, go for lazy Susans or magic corners that give you 360-degree access to your wares.
In the modular kitchen at the other end of the living area, clear-varnished rubber-wood shutters alternate with green powder-stained ones for the lower storage cabinets, while the countertop is made from natural stone. To continue the contemporary feel and to accentuate the colour of the shutters, the northern wall of the kitchen is clad in polished cement with vertical grooves. It is an expansive room, so it was possible to incorporate a large island that houses the stove and chimney. The chimney rises through a solid, honey-coloured wooden plank that is suspended above the length of the island, echoing the earthy, natural notes of the house
Timeless elegance personifies this coffee bar with its royal-blue lacquered surfaces, mirrored cabinet and highly reflective countertop. The mirror framed in ornate gold adds to the luxe appeal of the coffee bar.
Lacquered glass Make a bold statement with coloured or lacquered glass. It is opaque and available in many attractive shades. In this example, lacquered glass is used as a kitchen backsplash that gives a fresh look to the space. This glass is moisture-resistant and highly durable. The coloured lacquer is applied to the rear surface of the glass so the coating cannot peel off easily.
The grey base cabinets set off the orange kitchen cabinets to infuse the kitchen with a vibrant look.
White and light-brown cabinets contrast well with each other, and are one of the most popular combinations used for the kitchen design.
The refrigerator is strategically positioned in the centre of the yellow kitchen cabinets to offer good contrast to the light-brown cabinets and colourful backsplash tiles.
The black and light-brown kitchen cabinets combine with the two-toned patterned flooring to impart a bold and striking look.
The dark charcoal lower cabinets are wonderfully contrasted with the pale wood overhead cabinets to give the kitchen a modern, high-end look
Work in miniature Limited wall space hasn’t cramped this galley kitchen’s style. The geometric paper here has a small-scale repeat, allowing the pattern to do its job in a restricted area. A dash of red in the motif gives it more presence. If your kitchen is as narrow as this one, copy these homeowners and take the wall units right to the ceiling for maximum storage.
Jalan says, “The kitchen is a highly functional space designed using the same colour palette as the rest of the house.” It features counters and dados in white quartz while the overhead and under counter shutters are in oak wood veneer. “Black powder coated matte finished edging and hardware gives the kitchen a sharp look. A charcoal grey stone finished tile makes up the floor,” adds Jalan.
Challenge: Kitchen is overflowing Don’t have room for a dedicated pantry? Consider using a section of the wall to host a full-length cluster of shelves.
This man-made material consists of acrylic particles and resins that are pressed into solid sheets. Solid surfaces have become synonymous with the brand Corian made by DuPont, although there are several other (mostly) imported brands (LG, Samsung) in the market
Opt for a dowel-and-pegboard system like the one shown here, to keep your crockery from clattering around. By rearranging your pegs, you can accommodate a variety of plate sizes.
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